Republican Senator Calls Bush Plan an Escalation

It was very strong language coming from a Republican during today's hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:

"I think this speech given last night by this president represents the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam, if it's carried out," Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.[...]

Hagel continued to challenge the Secretary Rice:

"Putting in 22,000 more troops is not an escalation?" Hagel asked. Responded Rice: "I think, senator, escalation is not just a matter of how many numbers you put in."[...]When Rice disputed Hagel's contention that Iraq was in the throes of civil war, Hagel shot back: "To sit there and say that, that's just not true."

Senator Dodd:

Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut accused the administration of letting American soldiers be used as “cannon fodder.”

Other Republicans chimed in:

Perhaps surprisingly, the language changed little when it was the Republicans’ turn. “You’ve clearly heard the skepticism that has been expressed this morning by so many of my colleagues, and for good reason,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Senator George V. Voinovich of Ohio, noting that he previously went along with the president and “bought into his dream,” demanded the administration “do a much better job” of explaining its strategy.

The strongest questioning came from Senator Feingold:

Perhaps the most aggressive questioner of Ms. Rice was the Democrat who has announced he will not run: Senator Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin, who has consistently opposed the war and demanded Thursday that Congress “use the power of the purse” to cut off financing and take American troops out of Iraq.

In an especially contentious exchange, Mr. Feingold asked Ms. Rice: “Is the United States more secure now as a result of our military incursion into Iraq than we were before we entered Iraq?” Dissatisfied with her responses, Mr. Feingold repeated the same line three more times.